2021 Peay Vineyards West Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

I did a double-take when I tasted this wine, thinking I had mistakenly grabbed the 2021 Estate Chardonnay. The depth, shape, minerality, and overall polish remind me of the Estate cuvée. This is not surprising as 95% of this wine comes from Estate fruit with the remaining barrel sourced from a few acres we helped plant on a neighbor’s property.

The nose has a combination of baked lemon, coconut meat (not milk), lime oil, and flint aromas. On the silky (but not heavy) mid-palate, biscuit aromas peek in along with wet slate notes. Despite its youth, the oak flavors are well-integrated and hardly noticeable, providing texture without dominating the profile. The finish is energetic and bright with fresh acidity and a long after-taste. This is great Chardonnay and will be for many years to come.